Barbell with eccentrically weighted weights



R. R. DEAN 3,482,835

BARBELL WITH ECCENTRICALLY WEIGHTED WEIGHTS Dec. 9, 1969 Filed Feb. 21, 1968 FIG. 3

RUSSELL R. DEA/V" lNVENTOR United States Patent 3,482,835 BARBELL WITH ECCENTRICALLY WEIGHTED WEIGHTS Russell R. Dean, 3012 Madison Ave., San Diego, Calif. 92116 Filed Feb. 21, 1968, Ser. No. 707,156 Int. Cl. A63b 13/00 U.S. Cl. 272-84 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dumbbell or barbell with generally conventional appearance and means for manual gripping, provided however, with novel identical, uniformly rotatable unbalanced weights. Exercise is achieved by anatomically resisting the centrifugal force resulting when the weights are caused to spin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Traditionally, dumbbells and barbells have consisted of a bar or handle connecting two spheres or discs forming a weight used for calisthenic exercise. There have been some changes in their design and in the materials from which they are made, but since their inception there has been no significant advancement in their construction to improve or add to the manner in which they are used. Their use is generally regarded as monotonous work, undertaken only by those motivated by a strong desire for muscular development or a state of good health. Conventional dumbbells provide no entertainment value. They serve only as weights and the benefit to the user results from inertia and gravity.

SUMMARY My improved construction of dumbbells and barbells brings centrifugal force into play. This is accomplished by constructing them in a manner to permit the weights to revolve. The weights are firmly attached to a shaft running through the handle which is provided with bearings so that the shaft may turn freely and the weights may rotate in unison. Additional weight is added to a segment of each weight so that by appropriate movement, the user can induce a rotating motion in the weights. The centrifugal force of the weights ofi'ers resistance, or fight to the grip of the user. Use of this device, which might aptly be called a rollbell, necessitates a degree of coordination between the movements of the user and the movement of the spinning weights. A definite entertainment value results.

The rollbell does not have to be as heavy as the ordinary dumbbell to provide the same amount of exercise. For this reason and the fact that it possesses some entertainment value, it is felt that its appeal and use will be much wider than that of the dumbbell. A therapeutic value is indicated. It can easily be used by wheelchair or even bed patients. Since its use requires coordination, it may serve to overcome atrophy during convalescence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawings forming a part he'reof:

FIGURE 1 is an end view of the device;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of a weight in the preferred form of my invention;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals repre- 1611f like parts throughout the numeral 1 indicates a weight of a dumbbell or barbell exerciser. It is preferably disked shaped. A segment 3 thereof has a greater mass than other portions 2 thereof. See extra weighted portion 3 of FIGURE 2. Uniform weights, afiixed oif center, on the shaft may be used with weights of uniform density to obtain the same result.

The same desired effect may be accomplished by a cavity 11 filled with a dense substance 12 as shown in FIGURE 6. For example, if item 1 is formed of plastic, substance 12 may be lead or another common heavy metal. Such modification may have cover plate 9 with pin 10 securing the plate to weight 1. The upper extremity may be provided with set screw 5 to secure the weight to shaft 6. Collar 4 may be secured to the weight for threaded engagement with the screw. As an alternative, a molded plastic member 13 as illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8 may be secured to the weight. In such arrangement recess 15 surrounds the end of the shaft and slot 14 is provided with angled sides which abut the hexagonal sides of common nut 17. In such modification, screw 5 passes through slot 16 for threaded engagement with the nut 17 resting in slot 14. Expensive threading is thusly avoided. Slot for screw 5 may be positioned on side opposite that of slot 14. Slot 14 may be made from side opposite side adjacent to weight, instead as shown in FIGURE'7.

Other arrangements for securing the weights to the shaft may obviously come to mind. For instance, plate 9 may be bent away from the weight in the area of the shaft, at right angles to the Weight. A threaded orifice on the surface of the portion parallel to the shaft, may engage screw 5 to hold the shaft and weight in a bracketed unison.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, attention is directed to handle 8. Such handle resembles conventional dumbbell and barbell handles in appearance. However, my novel handle is tubular instead of solid in construction. At each end thereof bearings 7 are operatively monuted on shaft 6.

Ball bearing races or other arrangements may be used.

It is to be understood that one skilled in the art may resort to modifications and changes in the foregoing description which will fall within the scope of the subjoined claim.

I claim:

1. A barbe'll exerciser comprising a plurality of weights, each of said weights having an axis centrally thereof and a mass which is eccentric relative to said axis, a straight bar connected firmly to each weight in alignment with said axis, a tubular bar mounted between the weights on the bar connecting them so that the connecting bar may rotate freely therein, the tubular bar being of appropriate length to permit convenient grasping by the hand or hands of the user, the combined mass of said bar and Weights being such as to enable lifting thereof by a person exercising therewith.

. 4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1912 Koch 27284 8/1948 Trzesniewski 27284 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner WILLIAM R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner 

